Parachutes are commonly used to deliver cargo and supplies to area generally inaccessible by vehicle transport as well as to quickly supply military troops. Materials with high strength-to-weight ratios are standard for parachute design and construction.
Referring to FIG. 1, a plan view of a flat, circular parachute canopy system 100 of the prior art is illustrated. A typical parachute system 100 will include a canopy 112 that has a canopy skirt 108. The parachute system 100 will also include suspension lines 106 that are attached to the canopy 112 and a payload (not shown). Typical parachute canopies have suspension tapes 102 that radiate outward from the center 114 of the canopy 112. The canopy 100 includes radial suspension tapes 102 that are sewn or stitched to the canopy material 104. Attached to the suspension tapes 102 are the suspension lines 106 that support the payload (not shown). The suspension lines 106 are attached at the skirt 108 of the canopy material 104 at attachment points 110. While these suspension tapes 102 distribute the payload weight evenly over the canopy surface, they create stress in the canopy material 104. This can be evidenced by scalloping in the canopy material 104 when the parachute canopy 100 is inflated. It would be advantageous to be able to reduce the stress in the material of a parachute canopy 100 caused by the suspension tapes 102.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a parachute canopy system that addresses at least some of the problems identified above.